Chapter 72

 Ryan’s POV

“What do you mean Anna’s not home?” I shouted, my voice already breaking before I could even make sense of what I was hearing.

I was in the boardroom with Mom, Dad, Beta Logan, Gamma Steve, and Alex. We were right in the middle of a tense strategy meeting, all focused on the next move against George, when my phone started ringing. I glanced down, saw Grandma’s name flashing, and almost ignored it. I told myself I’d call her back once we wrapped things up. But somehow my thumb hit “Accept,” and the next thing I heard made my whole body freeze.

Her voice was shaking. “Ryan—Anna’s not home.”

For a second, I couldn’t even breathe. “Wait—what?”

“She said she was just going for a stroll. That’s what she told us. But it’s been over an hour now. She didn’t take any guard with her. We’ve been calling her phone over and over, and she’s not picking up.”

I shot to my feet so fast my chair crashed to the floor behind me. “What??!”

Ever